VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Political division apparent among Syracuse voters
KIRAN COSTA: BELLEWOOD BAPTIST CHURCH IN NORTH SYRACUSE SAW A STEADY FLOW OF VOTERS THIS MORNING, CASTING THEIR BALLOTS FOR THE 2024 ELECTION. IN ONE OF THE MOST CONTENTIOUS ELECTIONS IN REASON MEMORY, THE GROWING DISTANCE BETWEEN THE PARTIES IS ON VOTERS’ MINDS.
PATRICIA BEDNAREK:DIVISION OF THE COUNTRY EVER SINCE MR. TRUMP TOOK OFFICE. THAT’S MY BIG THING, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE DIVIDED TOO MUCH.
COSTA: NO MATTER WHICH SIDE OF THE POLITICAL DIVIDE YOU FALL ON. VOTERS CAN AGREE THAT DIVISION IS A GROWING ISSUE IN THIS COUNTRY.
CINDY CIFARATTA: THE DIFFERENCE THIS YEAR AND WHAT’S GOING ON IN OUR WORLD. SO I THINK EVERY VOTE DOES COUNT, PEOPLE DON’T THINK IT DOES, BUT I’M GONNA MAKE MY VOTE COUNT.
JENE MCALL: NO MATTER WHERE YOU LIVE. YOU CAN ALWAYS FIND SOMEBODY WHO DOESN’T AGREE WITH WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN.
COSTA: THE POLITICAL DIVISION AMONG VOTERS WAS CLEAR. BUT THEY ALL AGREED THAT IT NEEDED TO STOP, AND THE ONLY WAY TO DO THAT WAS COME OUT AND VOTE. BELLEWOOD CHURCH AND THE REST OF THE POLLS CLOSE AT 7 O’CLOCK. KIRAN COSTA, NCC NEWS.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Bellewood Baptist Church in North Syracuse had voters flowing in and out starting at 6 a.m. when the polls opened. Some voters were already lined up outside before the station opened, eager to participate in the 2024 election. This year’s race is one of the most contentious in recent memory, and local voters are acutely aware of it.
“Division of the country ever since Mr. Trump took office. That’s my big thing, you know, people are divided too much,” said Patricia Bednarek, a local Kamala Harris supporter.
But it wasn’t just one side of the political spectrum expressing concerns about division. Voters across the political spectrum, from Trump to Harris supporters, agreed that the country is too polarized.
“No matter where you live, you can always find somebody who doesn’t agree with what you believe in,” said Trump voter Jene Mcall.
“The difference this year and what’s going on in our world. So I think every vote does count. People don’t think it does, but I’m gonna make my vote count,” said Cindy Cifaratta, a Harris voter.
All voters agreed that the best way to combat this division is by showing up at the polls and making their voices heard.